22/11 Personnel Wide Zone Run Concept

By Shawn Byrnes
Offensive Line
Scottsdale Christian Academy (AZ)

Introduction

Our wide zone play out of our base 11 personnel package is designed to attack the perimeter to the TE or to the ghost TE. Our running back will take his wide zone track and read first down lineman outside/in to the #2 down lineman to the play side. We teach him to react to flow of the defense, be decisive, and get the ball downhill. Our blocking surface (offensive Line/TEs/FBs) will execute wide zone principles and rules.

Assignments for 11 Personnel

There are many coaching points when it comes to running this play. This is our top rushing play and we practice it as such. We firmly believe that if it is not your featured play it will not be that effective. This play takes tons of time teaching and repping for the offensive line, TEs and RBs. The key to success is for your players getting a feel for all the different type of scenarios they will encounter (i.e.  soft- read defenders, penetrating defenders, LBs playing over the top or underneath, Stunts, Blitzes, etc.) and to have all the tools and calls to handle them.

Offensive Line Coaching Points:

• Make sure calls are correct and the right “Mike” is spotted.
• The footwork will change depending on the defender’s alignment. Aiming spots is will determine the footwork.
• Lock the back hand when you are on the back side running the defender. Landmark is TEs original alignment.
• If he is in a solo scenario on the front side, he will “club” or “back hand” technique that helps us with inside penetration when we have no inside help. We aim our inside arm for the defenders inside armpit while we are still aiming our helmet for the outside shoulder pad and trying to stretch the defender.
• Cut the backside as much as possible. It gets the DL/LBs to play hesitant. Our mantra is “
  If you can’t block them then chop them!”
• If you stay up on the LBs to the front side, the block on them does not need to be devastating. Fit them up on outside shoulder with a locked back hand to prevent the fight off inside if the back cuts behind your block. He will then lock on, and when he feels them fighting off, he must run his feet and make it hard for them to shed the block and make the tackle.
• Chop hands on grabbing defenders on the backside.

Tight End Coaching Points:

• Our TE alignment has his helmet breaking the belt line of the tackle. We keep him off the line of scrimmage because of the amount of motioning and shifts we do with him. We try to scheme with him to attack the defense on how they align and adjust to his movement. If they will flop the defensive ends, we will play games and just motion him over, and right back. If they don't adjust and put a smaller "rush" defensive end on the open tackle, we like to motion him over to that side and take advantage of that match up.
• This also gives us the ability to go from an attached TE 3x1 set to a 2x2 and vice versa very quickly.
• Lastly, we like to slip our TE out the back side on our "naked-slide" play. This is one of our play action schemes off of the wide zone. Keeping him off the ball allows him to get out behind the offensive line into the flat. 

Running Back Coaching Points:

• He must trust is read and be decisive. No double cutting.
• Feel the flow and react.
• Press the line of scrimmage and get the ball downhill.

Quarterback Coaching Points: